# Knowing when to go to multiple mongrel instances or dedicated server **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 10, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519 "2009-03-10T20:16:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/1 "2009-03-10T20:16:05Z")
I have a rails app with a growing user base. Right now it is on a single mongrel instance on a shared server. Is there a quantifiable method I can use to measure when I need to add mongrel instances, or move to a dedicated server? Are there rules of thumb for how many users or page hits an instance can support? Or is it solely subjective, based on when the app starts to “feel” slow? ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/2 "2009-03-10T20:20:49Z")
> I have a rails app with a growing user base. Right now it is on a > single mongrel instance on a shared server. Is there a quantifiable > method I can use to measure when I need to add mongrel instances, or > move to a dedicated server? Are there rules of thumb for how many > users or page hits an instance can support? Or is it solely > subjective, based on when the app starts to “feel” slow? A couple of years old, but it’s from the horses mouth… [http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/mongrel-users/2006-May/000200.html](http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/mongrel-users/2006-May/000200.html) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/3 "2009-03-10T22:23:18Z")
Thanks, good info. That is more for a dedicated server, though. If I’m on a shared server, how can I measure/compare to determine whether I need the expense of a dedicated server? ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/4 "2009-03-11T01:53:38Z")
Ed wrote: > I have a rails app with a growing user base. Right now it is on a > single mongrel instance on a shared server. Is there a quantifiable > method I can use to measure when I need to add mongrel instances, or > move to a dedicated server? Are there rules of thumb for how many > users or page hits an instance can support? Or is it solely > subjective, based on when the app starts to “feel” slow? Ed, why not to move to phusion passenger? It’s fast and intended for heavier load than mongrel (even in cluster) tom # – Tomas Meinlschmidt, MS {MCT, MCP+I, MCSE, AER}, NetApp Filer/NetCache # [www.meinlschmidt.com](http://www.meinlschmidt.com) www.maxwellrender.cz www.lightgems.cz ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/5 "2009-03-11T22:23:41Z")
I’ll take a look at that, thanks. My hosting provider says that passenger is slower than mongrel in a shared environment, because of the delay when processes have to be restarted. But ultimately I will have the same question: how can I measure when traffic is too much for my shared host? ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/6 "2009-03-11T22:27:47Z")
Ed, If you’re hosting provider is suggesting that passenger is slower, it’s in _their_ environment. You might consider another provider then. You might take a look at the survey results we just posted at [http://rails-hosting.com](http://rails-hosting.com). Cheers, Robby On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 2:23 PM, Ed [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > I have a rails app with a growing user base.  Right now it is on a > > > > – > > =========================================================================== ==== > > Tomas Meinlschmidt, MS {MCT, MCP+I, MCSE, AER}, NetApp Filer/NetCache > > > > www.meinlschmidt.com www.maxwellrender.cz www.lightgems.cz > > =========================================================================== ==== – Robby R. Chief Evangelist, Partner PLANET ARGON, LLC design // development // hosting w/Ruby on Rails > **[Planet Argon](https://www.planetargon.com/)** > > Planet Argon is a Ruby on Rails development agency specializing in maintenance and support for existing Rails apps. Based in Portland, OR, Planet Argon has been a member of the Rails community since 2004. [http://robbyonrails.com/](http://robbyonrails.com/) [http://twitter.com/planetargon](http://twitter.com/planetargon) aim: planetargon +1 503 445 2457 +1 877 55 ARGON [toll free] +1 815 642 4068 [fax] ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/7 "2009-03-11T22:28:22Z")
On Mar 11, 2009, at 2:23 PM, Ed wrote: > I’ll take a look at that, thanks. My hosting provider says that > passenger is slower than mongrel in a shared environment, because of > the delay when processes have to be restarted. This is only relevant if you don’t get enough traffic to keep the passenger/rails instance alive. What I’ve read says that once up and running passenger is faster than mongrel, but best to do your own research. Start here: [Support](http://www.modrails.com/documentation.html) (part way down) > But ultimately I will have the same question: how can I measure when > traffic is too much for my shared host? That’s a question for them. Find out what their limits are and then figure out when you’ll hit them. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/knowing-when-to-go-to-multiple-mongrel-instances-or-dedicated-server/162519/8 "2009-03-11T22:29:33Z")
2009/3/11 Ed [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) > I’ll take a look at that, thanks. My hosting provider says that > passenger is slower than mongrel in a shared environment, because of > the delay when processes have to be restarted. > > But ultimately I will have the same question: how can I measure when > traffic is too much for my shared host? It seems to be a rather naive answer but can you not tell that the traffic is too much by the fact that it slows down unacceptably? Or am I missunderstanding the question, are you trying to predict in advance at what traffic level it will slow down too much?